Emotional intelligence, locus of control and conflict handling skills as predictors of non-violent behaviour among university students in south-western Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined Emotional Intelligence, Locus of control and Conflict Handling Skills as Predictors of non-violent behaviours among University Students in South-Western Nigeria. The population was all the Nigerian University Students in the South-Western Nigerian out of which a sample of 1,000 participants were selected using the simple random sampling technique. Three research questions were raised. The instruments used to collect data were: (i) Emotional and social competency inventory by Goleman D. (2007); (ii) The internal control index by Duttweilar, P.C (1984); (iii) Conflict Handling Behaviour Rating scale by Hameed A. (2002). The instruments were administered at the four Universities used for the study while Multiple Regression Analysis and Pearson Product Moment Correlation were used to analyse the data at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that there was a significant relationship between each of the independent valuables. There was a joint effect of the independent variables on non-violent behaviour of the students. Also, there was a contribution of each of the independent variables to the prediction of non-violent behaviour among the students. Deaths and injuries from students' crisis or violent behaviour constitute a major public health problem in many institutions and parts of the world. Significant variation in the magnitude of this problem exists within and between countries and regions of the world. Over the years, a lot of measures, preventions and strategies have been learnt and put in place to identify the causes of students' crises in Nigerian universities. Scientific evidences on the pattern and causes of the crisis both qualitative and quantitative is on the increase yearly. For instance, 20-40 victims of students crisis receives treatment from various hospitals yearly in Israel, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Jamaica, Johannesburg, South Africa, Kenya, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Mozambique and Nigeria (WHO, 2010). Similarly, studies conducted by World Health Organization, WHO (2009) in Jamaica, Kenya and Mozambique show a high rate of violent behaviour in universities where students used fire arms, knives, clubs, stones, firsts and feet to attack security agents, colleaques and university authorities. In a study conducted by WHO, 2009 in Orebro, Sweden using 1,000 young males who displayed violent behaviour up to age 26 years had already scored highly for aggressiveness at the ages of 10 and 13 years. In a study in Columbia, United States in 2010 by WHO, it was found that 59% of the university students' arrested for violent offences between age 18 years were reported as adults and 42% of these were charge for serious crimes. In Nigeria, students' revolutionary behaviour has been a great concern, not only to university administrators but to parents, guardians and those concerned with the students' welfare. The Nigerian universities and other higher institutions of learning can hardly accomplish their missions as repositories of knowledge if they are constantly thrown into students' crisis. Some of the universities that witnessed students violent behaviours include: University of Ibadan, 1978, Ahmadu Bello University, 1981, University of Ife now Obafemi Awolowo University, Helfe, 1991, 2005, Bayero University Kano, 1981, University of Lagos, 1997, Lagos State University, 1998, Olabisi Onabanjo University, 2005 and host of others. Similarly, Taiwo (2004); Reza, Krug and Mercy (2001), Uduigwoman (2003), Nwosu and Odeyemi (1998) as well as Amakiri (1997) have in a related studies established that age, religion, sex as well as self efficacy and social competence constitute very important factors to be considered to prevent crisis in Nigeria tertiary institutions. This study therefore having consider the great effect of violent behaviour on the Nigerian universities, the university community, students and parents, examines the use of Emotional Intelligence, Locus of Control and Conflict Handling Skills as Predictors of non-violent behaviour among university students in South western Nigeria. …